Apparatus for oiling continuously moving stock

ABSTRACT

Chamber-defining means define a closed chamber, a sealing inlet to and a sealing outlet from said chamber. Stock-feeding means are provided for continuously moving stock to be oiled through said inlet, chamber, and outlet along a predetermined path. A row of nozzles open in said chamber and are spaced apart transversely to said path and directed toward said path and operable to discharge an oil-air mixture toward said path. Each of said nozzles comprises a needle, which is displaceable to vary the rate at which said oil-air mixture is discharged from said nozzle. An oil conduit and a compressed-air conduit are connected to said nozzles. An automatic control system is provided to control the rate at which said oil-air mixture is discharged from said nozzles in proportion to the speed of travel of said stock in said chamber. Said control system comprises a sensing roller engageable with said stock and adapted to be driven thereby at a speed which is proportional to said speed of travel, a tachogenerator arranged to be driven by said sensing roller and to produce an output signal representative of said speed of travel, an actuator, a controller arranged to receive said output signal and to control the operation of said actuator in response to said output signal, and a linkage operatively connecting said actuator to said needles and arranged to displace said needles in response to a change of said speed of travel resulting in an operation of said actuator.

United States Patent [191 Glanzer APPARATUS FOR OILING CONTINUOUSLYMOVING STOCK [75] Inventor: Stefan Glanzer, Linz, Austria [73] Assignee:Vereinigte Osterreichische Eisenund Stahlwerke Aktiengesellschaft, Linz,Austria 22 Filed: Sept. 28, 1971 211 Appl.No.: 184,490

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Schur Mcl'lugh PrimaryExaminer--John P. McIntosh Attorney-Kurt Kelman et al.

[ 1 3,734,055 51 May 22,1973

[57] ABSTRACT Chamber-defining means define a closed chamber, a sealinginlet to and a sealing outlet from said chamber. Stock-feeding means areprovided for continuously moving stock to be oiled through said inlet,chamber, and outlet along a predetermined path. A row of nozzles open insaid chamber and are spaced apart transversely to said path and directedtoward said path and operable to discharge an oil-air mixture towardsaid path. Each of said nozzles comprises a needle, which isdisplaceable to vary the rate at which said oil-air mixture isdischarged from said nozzle. An oil conduit and a compressed-air conduitare connected to said nozzles. An automatic control system is providedto control the rate at which said oil-air mixture is discharged fromsaid nozzles in proportion to the speed of travel of said stock in saidchamber. Said control system comprises a sensing roller engageable withsaid stock and adapted to be driven thereby at a speed which isproportional to said speed of travel, a tachogenerator arranged to bedriven by said sensing roller and to produce an output signalrepresentative of said speed of travel, an actuator, a controllerarranged to receive said output signal and to control the operation ofsaid actuator in response to said output signal, and a linkageoperatively connecting said actuator to said needles and arranged todisplace said needles in response to a change of said speed of travelresulting in an operation of said actuator.

9 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures APPARATUS FOR OILING CONTINUOUSLY MOVINGSTOCK This invention relates to apparatus for oiling continuously movedstock, particularly sheet metal in the form of strip, plate or sheet,which apparatus comprises a closed chamber, which has a sealing inletand a sealing outlet for the stock, a plurality of nozzles disposed insaid chamber and spaced apart transversely to the direction of travel ofthe stock and connected to an oil conduit and to a compressed-airconduit, said nozzles being arranged in rows above and/or below thestock and serving to blow an oil-air mixture onto the stock, and eachnozzle comprising an adjustable nozzle needle for controlling the rateof flow of oil and compressed air through the nozzle.

The buyers of sheet metal stock in the form of strip, plate or sheetimpose rigid specifications as regards the oiling of such sheet metalstock because a highly uniform lubricant layer is required in thefurther processing of the stock. Known apparatus for oiling continuouslymoved stock comprise dripping taps, nozzles or the like, which arespaced apart transversely to the direction of travel and supply the oilto the stock by means of an interposed applicator roll. The oil isapplied to felt rollers, which engage the stock. The rapid wear of thefelt rollers is a great disadvantage of these arrangements and requiresthat the felt rollers must be dressed several times and must be replacedafter a certain lifetime. This results in high operating costs.Difficulties arise also in the control of the supply of oil and in theadjustment thereof in response to changes in the speed of travel. Owingto these difficulties, such apparatus have no longer been used in morerecent plants.

In another known apparatus for oiling strip metal the difficulties whichare mainly involved in the requirement for an adjustment of the oilsupply rate to different speeds of travel are avoided substantially inthat the oil is sprayed to an applicator roll, which contacts the movingstrip and is adapted to be driven in synchronism therewith. The sprayingdevice is operated with intervals of time, which depend on the speed ofthe strip. The actual spraying period, however, is constant so that oilin an amount which depends on the speed of travel of the metal strip issprayed onto the applicator roll and transferred by the latter onto thestrip. The applicator rolls of such apparatus consist again of feltrolls, which are not satisfactory, as has been mentioned. Besides, theatomization of the oil gives rise to difficulties and it has beenattempted to avoid such difficulties by the use of injection pumps, suchas are employed in engines of motor vehicles. The use of such pumps,however, has failed to give the desired success, namely, an improvedatomization of the oil, because the oil which is used to oil the metalstrip has a much higher viscosity than a fuel for engines of motorvehicles. Small air bubbles trapped in the oil result in an accumulationof air in the injection pumps so that the latter must often be vented.All known apparatus for oiling strip metal which have been describedhereinbefore have the disadvantage that in spite of a high oilconsumption they fail to apply the oil to the strip metal as uniformlyas desired.

Another apparatus has been disclosed, which comprises nozzles that aredisposed in a closed chamber and blow an oil-air mixture onto the stripmetal moving through the chamber and through inlet and outlet openingsthereof. This results in an oil film which is as uniform as desired. Theapparatus: has the disadvantage that the resulting oil mist, whichemerges from each nozzle in the form of a spray cone hardly permits of achange of the thickness of the oil film in dependence on the speed oftravel although it enables the application of a highly uniform oil filmto the strip metal. In such apparatus for oiling sheet metal it has beenfound highly satisfactory to use nozzles such as are employed incommercially available spray guns because they are troublefree inoperation and do not require special maintenace. The rate of flow of oiland compressed air through each nozzle is controlled by an adjustablenozzle needle, which inherently does not involve any difficulty. When itis frequently required, however, to readjust a large number of suchnozzles, e.g., in an oiling apparatus to higher or lower oil flow ratesas quickly as possible, the adjustment of the individual nozzle needlestakes excessively long time. Besides, the adjustment must be carried outby hand so that a nonuniform oil film will be applied to the stock.

It is an object of the invention to eliminate these disadvantages and toprovide an apparatus which serves to oil continuously moved stock and inwhich the rate of flow through the nozzles is automatically controlledin response to the speed of travel of the stock so that the thickness ofthe oil film on the stock remains constant.

In an apparatus of the kind defined first hereinbefore, theabove-mentioned object is substantially accomplished according to theinvention in that the nozzle needles of the nozzles of one row areadjustable in unison by a lever system or the like, which is operativelyconnected to an actuator, and a freely rotatable roller engageable withthe stock drives a tachogenerator, which is connected to a controller,which controls the operation of the actuator in response to changes ofthe speed of travel. In this apparatus according to the in vention, therate of oil sprayed by the nozzles can be controlled with relativelysimple means so as to ensure the formation of a uniform oil film havinga constant thickness on the stock. Upon an increase of the speed oftravel, the controller energizes the actuator for an adjustment of thelever system so as to open the nozzles. Oil and compressed air at ahigher rate are then blownonto the stock moving at a higher speed sothat the thickness in which the oil film is applied is maintainedconstant. Upon a decrease of the speed of travel, the lever system isoperated by the actuator to move the nozzle needles in the oppositedirection so that oil at a lower rate is blown onto the stock.

According to another feature of the invention, the lever system or thelike comprises an actuating lever, which is freely rotatably mounted ona shaft, which is operable to adjust the nozzle needles of a row ofnozzles in unison, and another lever, which is secured to the shaft forrotation therewith, is connected to the actuating lever by detent meanspermitting of an angular adjustment of the two levers relative to eachother. In this arrangement, the lever system is connected to a shaft, bywhich the nozzle needles of a row of nozzles are adjusted in unison. Theactuator is not connected directly to the shaft but to an actuatinglever, which can be fixed in any of several positions relative to thelever which is secured to the shaft. The detent means provided for thispurpose enable a basic setting of the nozzles.

In a particularly simple embodiment of the invention, the detent meanscomprise a toothed element, which is firmly connected to or formed bythe actuating lever, and a springloaded pin or the like, which isengageable with any of the gaps between the teeth of said toothedelement and mounted in the lever which is secured to the shaft. When thepin has been moved against the spring force out of its locking position,the two levers can be rotated relative to each other. When the twolevers. have been rotated to the desired position, the spring-loaded pinis spring-urged to its locking position to hold the two levers in theirrelative position.

In an arrangement which comprises two rows of nozzles disposed above andbelow the stock, respectively, it will be desirable if two shafts areprovided for adjusting the nozzle needles of the nozzles of respectiverows and are firmly connected to respective levers, which areoperatively connected by means of a link. In this embodiment of theinvention, simple means are provided to ensure that the two rows ofnozzles disposed above and below the stock, respectively, are adjustablein unison to the same extent so that an oil film of uniform thickness isapplied to the upper and lower surfaces of the stock.

An embodiment of the invention is shown diagrammatically on theaccompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 is a diagrammatical sectional viewtaken on a line extending in the longitudinal direction of the stock andshows apparatus according to the invention for oiling continuouslymoving stock.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation showing the apparatus and FIG. 3 is asectional view taken on line IIIIII of FIG. 1.

A metal strip 4 is moved through a closed chamber 1 and through an inlet2 to said chamber and an outlet 3 from said chamber. Two pairs ofrollers 5 and 6 are disposed in the chamber and operable to move thestrip. These pairs of rollers can be adjusted in height for anadjustment of the roller nip to the thickness of the strip. Two rows ofnozzles 7 and 8 are disposed above and below the strip 4, respectively.The nozzles of each row are connected to a common oil conduit 9 and acommon compressed air conduit 10. The rate of flow is adjustable bymeans of nozzle needles 11, which are adjustable by means of forkedlevers 14, which are clamped to respective shafts 12 and 13. The shafts13 and 12 are rotatably mounted in the chamber 1. A lever 15 is securedto the shaft 12 for rotation therewith. A spring-loaded detent pin 16 ismounted on the lever 15. An actuating lever 17 is rotatably mounted onthe shaft 12 and provided with a toothed segment 18, which is engaged bythe detent pin 16 to interconnect the two levers l5 and 17.

A tachogenerator is driven by a freely rotatable roller 19 engaging thestrip 4 and is connected to a controller 21, which switches an actuator22 in response to changes of the seed of the strip. The displaceablescrew 23 of the actuator 22 is articulatedly connected to the actuatinglever 17. Upon a change of the speed of the strip 4, the tachogenerator20 and the controller 21 switch the actuator 22 so that the actuatinglever 17 is pivotally moved by the detent means 16, 18 to the lever 15and the latter is secured to the shaft 12 for rotation therewith, theshaft 12 is rotated at the same time and the nozzle needles 11 areuniformly adjusted by the forked levers 14. The shaft 13 carries a lever24, which is operatively connected to the lever 15 by a link 25. As aresult, a rotation of the shaft 12 is transmitted by the lever 15, linkand lever 24 to the shaft 13 to result in a synchronous rotation thereofso that the nozzles 8 below the strip 4 are also adjusted in response tothe change of the speed of the strip.

The basic setting of the nozzles 7 and 8 will provide for the desiredthickness of the oil film formed on the stock. For this purpose, thedetent means are disengaged and the levers 15 and 17 rotated relative toeach other. In the new position, the detent pin mounted on the lever 15snaps into the appropriate tooth gap of the toothed segment 18 so thatthe lever 15 is fixed in position relative to the lever 17. This settingresults also in the setting of the nozzles below the strip because thetwo shafts 12 and 13 are operatively connected by the link 25. A changeof the speed of the strip 4 during the operation of the apparatus, e.g.,to a higher speed, results in an energization of the actuator 22 so thatits screw 23 imparts to the actuating lever 17 a pivotal movement in adirection to increase the rate at which oil is sprayed by the nozzlesonto the strip. Oil at a higher rate is now blown onto the strip movedat a higher speed so that the thickness of the oil film is maintainedconstant.

What is claimed is:

1. An oiling apparatus, which comprises chamber-defining means defininga closed chamber, a sealing inlet to and a sealing outlet from saidchamber,

stock-feeding means for continuously moving stock to be oiled throughsaid inlet, chamber, and outlet along a predetermined path,

a row of nozzles opening in said chamber and spaced apart transverselyto said path and directed toward said path and operable to discharge anoil-air mixture toward said path, each of said nozzles comprising aneedle, which is displaceable to vary the rate at which said oil-airmixture is discharged from said nozzle,

an oil conduit connected to said nozzles, and

a compressed air conduit connected to said nozzles,

the provision of an automatic control system for controlling the rate atwhich said oil-air mixture is discharged from said nozzles in proportionto the speed of travel of said stock in said chamber, said controlsystem comprising a sensing roller engageable with said stock andadapted to be driven thereby at a speed which is proportional to saidspeed of travel,

a tachogenerator arranged to be driven by said sensing roller and toproduce an output signal representative of said speed of travel,

an actuator,

a controller arranged to receive said output signal and to control theoperation of said actuator in response to said output signal, and

a linkage operatively connecting said actuator to said needles andarranged to displace said needles in response to a change of said speedof travel resulting in an operation of said actuator.

2. An oiling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which saidstock-feeding means are operable to move sheet metal stock along saidpath.

3. An oiling apparatus as set forth in claim 2, in which saidstock-feeding means are operable to move sheet metal stock in the formof discrete elements along said path.

4. An oiling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which saidstock-feeding means are operable to move strip metal along said path.

5. An oiling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said row ofnozzles open on one side of said path,

an additional row of nozzles are provided, which open in said chamber onthe other side of said path and are spaced apart transversely to saidpath and directed toward said path and operable to discharge an oil-airmixture toward said path, each of said nozzles of said additional rowcomprising a needle, which is displaceable to vary the rate at whichsaid oil-air mixture is discharged from said nozzles, and

said control system comprises means arranged to displace said needles ofthe nozzles of said additional row so as to control the rate at whichsaid oil-air mixture is discharged from the nozzles of said additionalrow in proportion to the speed of travel of said stock in said chamber.

6. An oiling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said controlsystem comprises a shaft operatively connected to said needles androtatable to displace said needles in unison,

said linkage comprises a first lever secured to said shaft for rotationtherewith, a second lever freely rotatably mounted on said shaftadjacent to said first lever, and detent means for coupling said firstand second levers in any of a plurality of angular positions relative toeach other, and

said actuator is operatively connected to said second lever and operableto impart a pivotal movement thereto in response to said output signal.

7. An oiling apparatus as set forth in claim 6, in which detent meanscomprise series of indentations rigid with one of said first and secondlevers and a spring-loaded male detent element mounted in the other ofsaid first and second levers and engageable with any of saidindentations.

8. An oiling apparatus as set forth in claim 7, in which said maledetent element comprises a detent pin mounted in said first lever andsaid indentations are defined by a series of teeth rigid with saidsecond lever.

9. An oiling apparatus as set forth in claim 6, in which said row ofnozzles open on one side of said path,

an additional row of nozzles are provided, which open in said chamber onthe other side of said path and are spaced apart transversely to saidpath and directed toward said path and operable to discharge an oil-airmixture toward said path, each of said nozzles of said additional rowcomprising a needle, which is displaceable to vary the rate at whichsaid oil-air mixture is discharged from said nozzles, and

said control system comprises an additional shaft operatively connectedto the needles of the nozzles of said additional row and rotatable todisplace the needles of the nozzles of said additional row in unison, athird lever secured to said additional shaft for rotation therewith, anda link operatively con necting said first and third levers to rotatesaid

1. An oiling apparatus, which comprises chamber-defining means defininga closed chamber, a sealing inlet to and a sealing outlet from saidchamber, stock-feeding means for continuously moving stock to be oiledthrough said inlet, chamber, and outlet along a predetermined path, arow of nozzles opening in said chamber and spaced apart transversely tosaid path and directed toward said path and operable to discharge anoil-air mixture toward said path, each of said nozzles comprising aneedle, which is displaceable to vary the rate at which said oil-airmixture is discharged from said nozzle, an oil conduit connected to saidnozzles, and a compressed air conduit connected to said nozzles, theprovision of an automatic control system for controlling the rate atwhich said oil-air mixture is discharged from said nozzles in proportionto the speed of travel of said stock in said chamber, said controlsystem comprising a sensing roller engageable with said stock andadapted to be driven thereby at a speed which is proportional to saidspeed of travel, a tachogenerator arranged to be driven by said sensingroller and to produce an output signal representative of said speed oftravel, an actuator, a controller arranged to receive said output signaland to control the operation of said actuator in response to said outputsignal, and a linkage operatively connecting said actuator to saidneedles and arranged to displace said needles in response to a change ofsaid speed of travel resulting in an operation of said actuator.
 2. Anoiling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said stock-feedingmeans are operable to move sheet metal stock along said path.
 3. Anoiling apparatus as set forth in claim 2, in which said stock-feedingmeans are operable to move sheet metal stock in the form of discreteelements along said path.
 4. An oiling apparatus as set forth in claim1, in which said stock-feeding means are operable to move strip metalalong said path.
 5. An oiling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, inwhich said row of nozzles open on one side of said path, an additionaLrow of nozzles are provided, which open in said chamber on the otherside of said path and are spaced apart transversely to said path anddirected toward said path and operable to discharge an oil-air mixturetoward said path, each of said nozzles of said additional row comprisinga needle, which is displaceable to vary the rate at which said oil-airmixture is discharged from said nozzles, and said control systemcomprises means arranged to displace said needles of the nozzles of saidadditional row so as to control the rate at which said oil-air mixtureis discharged from the nozzles of said additional row in proportion tothe speed of travel of said stock in said chamber.
 6. An oilingapparatus as set forth in claim 1, in which said control systemcomprises a shaft operatively connected to said needles and rotatable todisplace said needles in unison, said linkage comprises a first leversecured to said shaft for rotation therewith, a second lever freelyrotatably mounted on said shaft adjacent to said first lever, and detentmeans for coupling said first and second levers in any of a plurality ofangular positions relative to each other, and said actuator isoperatively connected to said second lever and operable to impart apivotal movement thereto in response to said output signal.
 7. An oilingapparatus as set forth in claim 6, in which detent means comprise seriesof indentations rigid with one of said first and second levers and aspring-loaded male detent element mounted in the other of said first andsecond levers and engageable with any of said indentations.
 8. An oilingapparatus as set forth in claim 7, in which said male detent elementcomprises a detent pin mounted in said first lever and said indentationsare defined by a series of teeth rigid with said second lever.
 9. Anoiling apparatus as set forth in claim 6, in which said row of nozzlesopen on one side of said path, an additional row of nozzles areprovided, which open in said chamber on the other side of said path andare spaced apart transversely to said path and directed toward said pathand operable to discharge an oil-air mixture toward said path, each ofsaid nozzles of said additional row comprising a needle, which isdisplaceable to vary the rate at which said oil-air mixture isdischarged from said nozzles, and said control system comprises anadditional shaft operatively connected to the needles of the nozzles ofsaid additional row and rotatable to displace the needles of the nozzlesof said additional row in unison, a third lever secured to saidadditional shaft for rotation therewith, and a link operativelyconnecting said first and third levers to rotate said shafts in unison.